Air-conditioning apparatus



March 8, 1938. G. D. HARRIS l AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed April 2 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IEE ATIOR EY March 8, 1938. .G. D.' HARRIS l AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheep@A 2 Filed April 25, 1956 ATTORN E.

Patented Mar.. i938 -coNmrroNrNo APPARATUS Gordon D. Harris, Freeport, N. Y., assignor to The Harris Air-Conditioner Corporation, New

York, N. Y.

Application April 25,

3 Claims.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide an improved apparatus with means whereby small residential dwellings may be air conditioned at all times; to

provide means connecting the apparatus to a hot Water boiler or the like for receiving heat to be conditioned and then transferred to one or more rooms of a dwelling; to be enabled to receive air from one or more rooms for recirculation; to recondtion air already in circulation in one or more rooms; to be enabled to condition air from outside before circulating the same; to provide means for dry conditioning air before circulating the same; to provide a. plurality of spaced members whereby a moist air condition is produced; to utilize means for regulating the amount of conditioned air passing into one or more rooms; to be enabled to use the apparatus during the several seasons of the year; to secure simplicity of construction and operation; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved apparatus, and illustrating a schematic layout in the basement of a dwelling, and connected to a steam or hot Water boiler;

Figure 2 is a top plan of the apparatus partly in section and other parts broken away to show internal construction, the section being shown as taken on line 21-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view shown as taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

35 Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view shown as taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 51s a perspective view partly in section of a unit through which a moist. air condition is produced. 40 Description l As will be seen from the drawings, and referring more particularly to Figure 1, my improved air conditioning apparatus is shown in a somex what schematic, installation' arrangement. In this showing it is to be understoodv that the conditioning unit is more particularly adapted for small residential dwellings, and is so constructed that it will take up minimum space. in the cellar or basement of such a dwelling, and by virtue of inlet and outlet ducts, pipe connections, and dampers preferably manually operated, the conditioning unit may be used the year round. During the cold weather, or winter season, lthe unit can be easily connected to the usual hot 4water or 193s, serial No. 76,360

steam boiler provided for general heating purposes. Equally suitable connections can be made should the heating medium be a'small oil burner heater. As in the winter season, the usuall procedure in dwellings is to keep the windows tightly 5 shut, and with heat being transferred into rooms by virtue of radiators, very little moisture content exists, thereby causing a hot dry atmospheric condition. With use of my improved air conditioning unit, this dryness in the air is 1o eliminated. lAs is usual in the warm season of the year, dwellings must necessarily depend on outside. atmosphere to enter the rooms to relieve hot and stuiy conditions. With the use of my improved air conditioning unit, this condition l5 likewise is remedied. Also, it can be saidthat the improved air conditioning unit may be used throughout the year and by virtue of a thermostat and humidostat the air in rooms preferably on the iirst floor can be kept at a normal tem 20 perature, having a comfortable moisture content at all times. Provision likewise is made in the unit to eliminate excess humidity from the air before circulating into the rooms, thereby insuring an atmospheric condition free of too much 25 moisture.

As illustrated in Figure 1, there is shown in schematic arrangement a hot water or steam boiler I0 having a heatingJ-medium return pipe I I and a riser or Vheating-mediiu'n supply pipe I2, 3o with each of said pipes having standard Valves I3, I3. Said| boiler is used for the cold season of the year, and when not in use the heatingmedium supply as well as the return may be com` pletely shut off by virtue of the said valves I3, I3. Duringr the hot season of the year and when it is desired to use the apparatus for obtaining a cooled air condition, the pipes I I and I2 can conveniently be connected to a refrigerating unit (not shown). However, forpurposes of illustratlng the invention, the general layout of the drawings is for cold weather purposes, and in which instance the pipes I I and I2 are conveniently connected to the air conditioning unit I4 at one end thereof.

Said unit I4 preferably is made fast, by straps. 1 I5 or the like, to the`underside of the usual floor beams I6 of the house construction, and may have one or more air inlet and outlet ducts. As shown in the present illustration, there is pro- 50 vided anoutlet or circulating air Jduct I 1 suitably spaced and leading upwardly into a room from the unit I4 and preferably at the end opposite from the end at'which the pipes II- and I2 are attached. A second air duct I8 leading from 55 the room to the unit I4 which for clarity will be referred to as the inlet or recirculating duct and preferably, in this illustration, to the left of the pipes II and I2 or to the forward end of the unit proper. Said recirculating duct is adapted for admitting the air heretofore conditioned in the room and allows for reconditioning that air in the unit and then again transferred into the room through the duct I1. If desired, air from an outside source may be used and conditioned, as may be desirable during the hot dry season of the year, and for this purpose a horizontally disposed duct I9 extends inwardly from outside the building and to the forward end of the unit I4. This duct, as installed, may be provided with the duct I 8 directed laterally therefrom and extending upwardly through the floor of the room thereabove. Should the air from the room be desired for reconditioning, the air from the outside source may be completely shut-ofi from entering the unit I4, and for such purpose there is provided a manually controlled damper 20 in duct I9 between the outside opening and the lateral duct I8. On the other hand, if air from the outside is desired, as in the hot dry season, it is then preferred that the room air instead of being returned to be reconditioned, be shut oi, and a damper 2l in the duct I8 may be closed. With the duct ,I8 closedv to recirculating the air from the room and the outside damper 20 opened the air from the outside will then enter the unit. In either case, that is to say, when air fromthe room or from the outside is to be conditioned and then transferred into the room, a fan directly beneath the outlet duct I1 and suitably' driven by a motor 22 obtains a positive circulation of the air. Said fan preferably is utilized to both draw the air into the unit to be conditioned and thence discharged into the room.

As heretofore described, the unit I4 may be used conveniently for conditioning air the year around, and means may be readily adapted to meet changes in atmospheric conditions. As in cold weather and with windows necessarily closed, the desire would naturally be for a Warm air and preferably with a moist content. Such being the case, there is provided a thermostat 23 and having means (not shown) connected to a heat transfer chamber, to be hereinafter more fully described. Said thermostat by virtue of its connection to the heat transfer chamber will at all times control the temperature of the heated air before it passes on to be humidified. A humidostat 26 is shown for regulating the air received from the heat transfer chamber, and in this connection there is provided a plurality of dampers 24 and 21, Within the unit I4. If the air to be treated is to receive y a moist content the humidostat 26 provides means (not shown) for opening and shutting the damper 24 (Figure 3) within the unit by virtue of a lever 25 on the outside of said unit. On the other hand `if a dry'air condition is desired, particularly if It is to be noted that the humidostat aty all times Vcontrols the opening and closing of the dampers 24 and 21, and when the one damper, as 24 is open, the other damper 21 is closed, and vice versa. It is not deemed` necessary to go into Alengthy detail as to the construction of the thermostat 23 or humidostat 26 since they may be of any desired standard type and the operationwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In carrying out the invention and referring now more particularly to the unit I4, the same preferably is rectangular in shape and provides in the forward end one or more filters 29. Said lters may be of any suitable material, such as cloth, paper and so forth, and in use removes all dirt particles from the air entering the unit to be conditioned. As the clean air enters the interior of the unit, it is then subjected to an initial or preliminary condition, such as a heat transfer, which may be either heating or cooling. In the showing there is provided a heat transfer chamber 3|) comprising upper and lower` headers 3I and 32, with a plurality of staggered tubular members 33 connecting said headers. It is to the upper header 9| to which the supply pipe I2 is connected, and by virtue of the Vsaid pipe the heating medium, such as steam or hot water is constantly received. The heating medium is equally distributed and passes downwardly through the staggered tubes and outwardly into the lower header 32 there to be discharged into the pipe I I and returned to the boiler I0. The heating medium flowing through the tubes 33 assures an even distribution of heat to the air after the incoming air has passed through the filters 29. Should a cooled air be desired, and as heretofore described, the iiow of heat medium may be entirely shut oil.' from the boiler I 9 as by the hand valves I3, I3 with the pipes then utilized for receiving a refrigerant, ice water or well water. Said pipes II, I2 are each provided with branch pipes for the cooling medium, one of which is the supply pipe 34 and the other is the return pipe 35, with each said pipe having a hand valve 36.

To further condition the air after it has passed through the heat exchange chamber 30, and to add moisture to the air before being transferred into -the room, there is shownin Figures 2, 3 and 4, a plurality of spaced water chamber members 31. Said water chambers preferablyare provided with longitudinal openings or tunnels 39 the walls of which are porous thereby permitting sweat or seepage to pass gradually therethrough and adhere to the tunnel surface. As the air is drawn through the tunnel, the moist condition.

created bythe seepage will readily mix with the air and thus humidify the output. 'I'his humidincation is regulated in accordance with the humidostat controlled damper 24. A reservoir 39 in the top of the apparatus supplies the water 'chambers with its aqueous content. The water in the reservoir is kept at a level above the tops of theV respective water chambers 31, thereby assuring an ample supply in the said Water chambers at all times. Said level is maintained by virtue of an inlet supply pipe 40 from the usual water supply source of the dwelling, a ilo-at 4I within the reservoir and a check valve 42. Water from the reservoir will flow to the water chambers by means of branch pipes 42a leading into the tops of each chamber respectively.

The water chambers 31 preferably are.kept in upright position, and to prevent accidental displacement, are mounted on cross-pieces 43 (Fig- 4ures 3 and 4) in a trough 44 with straps 45 secured vto the cross-pieces and' extending upwardly, around'the tops of the chambers, then downwardly on the opposite sides and then held securely to the said cross-pieces. vIt is to be noted that the water chambers are set up from the bottom ofthe Atrough floor, thereby permitting excess moisture.fromthechambers to drip into the trough and be discharged through a drainage pipe 46. In order that the water in the cham'- bers 31 seep through the walls thereof and function properly, there is provided in the top of each chamber a small tube'or air vent 41.

It is preferable that the air, as it passes through and around the outside of the chambers 31, for its final conditioning, shall not pass over the top of said chambers, and means are provided whereby the air is prevented from so doing. Such means conveniently may be a plurality of baille plates 48, one from each chamber, and in the present arrangement the bales extend transversely of the apparatus and from the tops of the chambers to the underside of the top wall of the apparatus. The conditioned air is thus stopped from passing over the tops of the water chambers where humidification would be uncertain and very little at best. The air will be drawn through the tunnels and the sides and under the chambers towards the fan 49, past the moist surfaces and will then be discharged upwardly and into the room through the discharge duct l1.

To meet other climatic conditions, such as the warm stuiy summer heat, the air is by-passed to not contact the humidifying chambers 31. To accomplish this, the damper 21 is opened and the damper 24 to the humidifying chamber is closed.

- With the damper 21'in open position cool dry air from heat exchanger 30 enters the dry air or bypass chamber 5U by being drawn thereinto by the fan 49 and then upwardly land out into the room through the duct i1.

This air is by preference not recirculated back into the apparatus as heretofore described, being prevented from so doing by closing the manually operated damper 2| in the duct I8 (Figure 1). However, the air instead of remaining in the rooms may readily pass through open windows (not shown), and fresh air from the outside is received for conditioning through duct i9 by opening damper 20.

I claim:

1. An air-conditioning apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated housing through which air will pass for treatment, said housing having an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends for said air, means for cleansing air at the inlet end, a heating medium comprising a pluralityof vertically disposed tubes having upper and lower headers, the upper header adapted to receive the heating medium to pass through the tubes' and the lower header toI receive the heating medium and to be discharged therefrom, and said housing having a plurality of porous water chambers each having tunnels there through, a water trough for supplying water to said porous water chambers whereby water may seep through the walls of the chambers adapted to humidify the air passing therethrough from the heating medium, and an air actuating fan at the outlet end whereby cleansed air in heated condition is drawn through the housing and discharged from the outlet.

2. An air-conditioning apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated housing through` which air will pass for treatment, said housing having an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends for said air, means for cleansing air at the inlet end, a heating medium comprising a plurality of vertically disposed tubes having upper and lower headers, the upper header adapted to receive .the heating medium to pass through the tubes and the lower header to receive the heating medium and to be discharged therefrom, and said housing having a plurality of porous water chambers each having tunnels therethrough, a water trough for supplying water to said porous water chambers whereby water may seep through the walls of the chambers adapted to humidify the air passing therethrough from the heating medium, and means in the top of the chambers for permitting -accumulated air to escape from within the said. chambers thereby presenting a uniform distribution of seepage of the Water through the said walls thereof, and an air actuating'fan at the outlet and whereby cleansed air in heated condition is drawn through the housing and discharged from the outlet.

3. An air-conditioning apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated housing through which air will pass for treatment, said housing having ,an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends for said air, means for cleansing air at the inlet end, a heating medium comprising a plurality of vertically disposed tubes having upperand lower headers, the upper header adapted to receive the heating medium `to pass through the tubes and the lower header to receive the heating medium and to be discharged therefrom, and said housing having two chambers, one of said chambers having a plurality of porous water chambers each having tunne'ls therethrough, a water trough for supplying water to said porous water chambers whereby water may seep through the walls of the chambers adapted to humidify the air passing therethrough from the heatingl medium, and means in the top of the chambers for permitting accumulated air to escape from within the said chambers thereby presenting a uniform distribution of seepage of the water throughvthe said walls thereof, and an airactuating fan at the outlet end whereby cleansed air in heatedl condition is drawn through 'the haus--y ing and discharged from the outlet, and other means in the said chamber for closing it against receiving air to be humidified, and the other said chamber providing means for opening the same to receive cleansed air which has passed through the heating medium and be discharged through the outlet end in a dehumidifled condition.

GORDON D. HARRIS. 

